Music: New Records, may 26, 1952

For the first time since the late Artur Schnabel's memorable
performances of 1932, all 32 of the Beethoven piano sonatas have been
recorded (for Decca) by one man. The pianist: Germany's Wilhelm Kempff,
56. In Paris last fall, Kempff played the complete Beethoven cycle in
recital, and Paris' critics forthwith ranked him ahead of Schnabel,
Backhaus and Serkin. For the time being, at least, U.S. Beethoven fans
will have to appraise his works from recordings. Like his fellow German
pianist, Walter Gieseking, Kempff chose to go on playing in Germany
under Hitler, now...